


This World

by Musical_Fandom



Series: Bad End Oneshots [10]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: False Memories, Flashbacks, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Maruki Takuto's Reality Ending, Memory Alteration, One Shot, Persona 5 Spoilers, Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers, spoilers in the tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:15:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29033781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musical_Fandom/pseuds/Musical_Fandom
Summary: With the world having been saved one last time, Akechi is left adjusting to his new life with Akira at his side.
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro & Persona 5 Protagonist, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: Bad End Oneshots [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2168133
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	This World

_Crow and Joker quietly made their way through the palace. With only two of them, they had to be careful not to draw too much attention. While Joker was confident in his abilities to take down any shadows that came their way, Crow was less convinced. He was well aware of Akira's facade by now. He could see how it frayed at the ends in the same was Akira could see right through him._

* * *

Akechi sat in LeBlanc drinking coffee. Akira stood across from him, lazily leaning on the counter with his head in his hands. Things had been quiet recently. No world ending threats, no crazy gods, and no metaverse. They had made sure of that with the destruction of Maruki's palace. Now they were just regular kids. The days of the black mask and the Phantom Thieves were over. Akechi wondered if Akira missed it at all. He had always been a thrill seeker, the real world must be terribly boring for him when compared to the metaverse. Akechi knew that a part of him missed the thrill of battle, the satisfaction of watching a shadow wither away to nothingness beneath him was like nothing else. That's not to say he wasn't looking for alternatives. His therapist had encouraged him to take up some sort of physical activity as an outlet for his aggression.

Speaking of, "What time is it?"

Akira pulled out his phone. "Four. Is it already time to go?" He asked as if Akechi hadn't been in the cafe for well over an hour. 

Akechi simply nodded as he grabbed for a briefcase that wasn't there. A small habit that likely wasn't going away any time soon. "I'll see you tomorrow." Akira blew a kiss his way. Akechi rolled his eyes and walked out the door.

As Akechi sat on the train, he couldn't help but think about how incredibly easy he got off. After admitting so many crimes the judge showed him some much undeserved mercy. Therapy sessions twice a week along with a strict probation for the next two years. Not being able to leave Tokyo was far from the punishment he'd been expecting for two years worth of mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns. Not to mention the countless other crimes under Shido that he had carried out. Extortion, blackmail, an attempted coup, all of that warranted a much more severe punishment than he got.

Akechi could still remember when he had come into LeBlanc after everything. The way Akira's eyes lit up when he saw him. How Akira had completely embarrassed himself by breaking down crying in the middle of the cafe. He had forced him to stay the night as if afraid he was going somewhere. Akechi would never admit it out loud but the fact that Akira had been so worried about him, it made him feel something akin to happiness. _Wanted._ Akechi wasn't entirely sure if it was the right word to describe it but it was the closest word in his limited emotional vocabulary to describe the warm feeling that he experienced that night.

* * *

_Traveling through a palace with **ten people** turned out to be difficult. Even with Mona's suggestion that they split into two groups, that still left four and six people. Each member of which stood out against the stark white of the palace._

_Stealth was not an option at that point. That made it rather unsurprising when the large group sprang a trap. Joker was the one who pulled the wrong lever. He had been trying to solve a puzzle to open some door, Crow had been preoccupied making sure there were no shadows coming their way, when everyone was separated._

_The ground opened up from underneath them and swallowed everyone. When Crow landed on a hard surface he looked around and found himself in a small white room with no obvious exits. He put his hands on the wall and checked for any weak points or hints of a secret switch. Unfortunately he found nothing. The floor didn't yield any luck either and the ceiling was too far up to reach. That left Crow with no other option but to wait for Joker to inevitably find a way to save him. It annoyed him to no end how it always seemed to turn out that way._

_"Ah, Akechi-kun!" A cheerful voice rang out from no particular direction. Crow immediately recognized it as Maruki's. After having heard his entire self important speech mere days ago, it was easy to identify. "I see you've gotten separated from the others. Don't worry, they're on their way! In the meantime, I'd like to take this chance to talk to you."_

_Crow looked around for Maruki. He wasn't sure what he was expecting when he still found himself as the room's only occupant._

_"I'd like to start by apologising for how I acted the last time we met. I was so focused on Kurusu-kun that I never asked for your opinion."_

_"Go to hell." Crow glared into the air, unsure if Maruki could even see him. Although, if he could speak to him, it would make sense that he could see him as well. For extra measure he flipped off the air as well. "I want no part in your bullshit reality."_

_"I'm sorry to hear that Akechi-kun. Truly my goal is just to make everyone happy. I understand why you might think I have ulterior motives but that simply isn't the case."_

_"Fuck off."_

_"I understand that you're upset at the moment. I'm sorry for the current... circumstances, but I really do want to have an open conversation!"_

_"You already know my answer. There's nothing to talk about." Crow turned away as if he could turn his back on a voice coming from every direction. What the hell was taking Joker so long?_

_"Ah, but I never granted your wish! Everyone else got their desires realized and yet I neglected you. I'm truly sorry for that. I'd just like to know what I can do to make you happy!"_

_"Nothing in this fake reality of yours could_ ever _make me happy."_

_"I see... I'll take that into consideration."_

_Before Crow could ask what he meant, a door appeared on one of the walls. Joker came rushing through as expected._

* * *

Akechi liked to think that he wasn't the same angry person as before. Over the months he had spent getting adjusted to his new life, he found that the rage he used to feel was too tiring to sustain. It had melted into something that the old him might have called complacency. Now, Akechi recognized that he was comfortable. Part of him might even say he was happy with his life. 

Things were so much different from before. He had support now from the former Phantom Thieves, maybe he could even call them friends if he was feeling generous. Some of the relationships were more tense than others, Futaba and Haru immediately came to mind. It would be a long time before they forgave him for what he did to their parents, if they ever did, but they were slowly warming up to him. Warming up enough to be polite in passing instead of silent but that wasn't nothing. 

Akira often made sure to encourage Akechi on the progress he was making. Akechi wasn't ever sure if he would understand why the boy continued to associate with him after everything but he was grateful. As infuriated as he had initially been that Akira had outsmarted him in the engine room, it turned out for the best. Even if the direct aftermath was... painful. The engine room was fuzzy, he could remember scattered bits and pieces but he couldn't really make sense of it. Just thinking about it made his head hurt. Akechi wasn't sure he would ever definitively know _how_ he escaped Shido's palace alive but that didn't really matter anymore. What mattered was that he was alive at all.

* * *

_Akechi listened as Maruki made one final plea to Akira. To both of them in a way._

_"It's likely that without my reality, Akechi-kun will..." He trailed off as if he couldn't finish it. As if he wasn't using Akechi's life against one of the few people he actually cared about._

_Akira turned his gaze to Akechi, looking for an explanation. **There was no explanation he could give. Not when he didn't remember what happened.** "...I suppose, I've had my suspicions. I don't remember much between the engine room and talking to Akira on Christmas Eve."_

_Maruki gave Akira a sad smile. One that told him, "He'll die if you don't join me." Akechi wouldn't let himself be used as a tool to force Akira's hand._

_Maruki abruptly stood up. "It's getting late, I should be going."_

_Before he could get out the door, Akira quickly fished the calling card out of his bag. He flicked it to Maruki who accepted it more like it was a gift than a declaration to destroy everything he was working towards._

_Once he left, Akira and Akechi were left alone together. A tense silence formed in the cafe. Akechi waited for Akira's inevitable onslaught of questions but Akira didn't seem to want to talk._

_**Akechi was the one to break the silence. "What do you intend to do about Maruki's offer?" Akira looked like a deer caught in a headlight. Akechi ignored it and pressed on. "I'm sure you understand my feelings on the matter by now."** _

**_"How can you be so casual about this?" Akira asked quietly. A flash of something crossed his face. It might have been anger but Akechi couldn't entirely tell. It was gone too quick. "I don't want to lose you."_ **

**_"You won't."_ **

**_"And if-"_ **

_**"There's no point in talking in hypotheticals Akira. I'm here now and that's what matters. If I'm not here when Maruki's palace is gone then... that's something I'm willing to risk." Akechi looked Akira in the eyes. "So I'll ask you once again, what do you intend to do?"** _

_Akira straightened himself out. "We're taking down Maruki." He was clearly trying to sound confident but Akechi could see past it. He was still uncertain but it didn't matter. As long as he followed through, it wouldn't matter._

* * *

Akira slammed two tickets on the table. Akechi looked up at him from where he was sitting. All he could see was Akira grinning at him like an idiot in the middle of Jazz Jin. "You're late." Akechi said instead of a greeting. He picked up the tickets as Akira moved to take the chair to his left. "Why do you have aquarium tickets?"

Akira's grin widened somehow. "I got them from a co-worker." Akechi looked away in embarrassment. His cheeks flushed a faint shade of red. He was almost amazed Akira still remembered that. Then again, he was Akira, he probably remembered all of his clumsy attempts to "casually" invite him out. "No but really, I've been wanting to go with you for a while now."

"As friends?" Akechi asked.

"As a date." Akira clarified.

Akechi felt his face heat up again. A date. Of course Akira would ask him out by teasing him. "And what if I say no? What will you do with the tickets then?"

Akira laughed. They both knew he wasn't saying no. "I guess I would just have to ask Morgana instead." He frowned for show. "I'm afraid he would try to eat the fish though. You know how he gets." 

Akechi chuckled at the idea of Morgana jumping into one of the tanks to try and catch the fish. "I guess I have to accept it for their sake." He said between very dignified laughter. Absolutely nothing like Akira's uncontrolled yet contagious mess. When the laughter died down, it was just Akira staring at him. A fond look on his face as he contemplated something.

"Akechi, would it be alright if I called you Goro?" Akechi froze at the unexpected question. It had been a long time since anyone had been allowed to call him that. Immediately he thought back to the few memories he had with his mother, how she had lovingly called his name before- Almost as if reading his mind he added, "If it makes you uncomfortable then you don't have to say yes. I would completely understand..."

"No, I think that would be more than fair. I'd say we're close enough for that by now." Goro grinned and leaned forward. "So what time are we meeting for our aquarium date?"

* * *

_Stealing Maruki's heart was not going to be an easy feat. He had made that much very clear at the beginning. Everyone had been expecting him to be strong. No one had expected him to be able to change the rules of the game. In hindsight, they should have seen it coming but in their defense, no one knew the true extent of his power._

_Azathoth's form hovered menacingly behind Maruki. Tentacles protruded from the ground and surrounded Maruki and Azathoth. Every hit they tried to land was blocked by these tentacles which meant they had to take them out first._

_After widdling down their health and finding their weaknesses, they eventually brought all them down leaving Maruki open for direct attack. Unfortunately, he had the power to bring them back. It became a cycle of destroying the tentacles then getting to Maruki. They made slow but steady progress until one slip up. Joker faltered. An opening presented itself but he hesitated. Maruki took advantage of the opening that had been provided for him and struck._

_Crow reacted without thinking. He pushed Joker out of the way of what could have, or rather, would have been a fatal blow. In the process he took all the damage himself. The attack left him on the ground, he wasn't moving **but he miraculously survived. When he woke up after, he was back in the real world. Akira was the first person Akechi saw. He hovered over him looking distraught then immensley relieved. Looking past Akira let him see that he was surrounded by his teammate. Everyone had made it out safely. Akechi closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief. They had managed to take back reality.**_

* * *

Akira kissed Goro under the blue lights of the aquarium. He would say their date was going great so far. When they broke apart, both of them were left gasping for air. They were practically the only ones in the building which gave them plenty of privacy. No one was there to intrude like last time which made the whole thing absolutely perfect.

Akira checked the time and looked at Goro. "I think they're going to feed the penguins soon." A bright smile graced his face. "Do you want to head that way?"

Goro hummed. "Maybe in a few minutes. I think I want to be alone with you a little longer." The memory of their first aquarium visit resurfaced. Last time a journalist had interrupted them mid conversation, he wouldn't let that happen again. Not if he could help it.

"I've been meaning to ask," Akira started. He took a step towards Goro and grabbed his hand. Goro's heart did flips. "When you invited me here last summer, why did you do it?"

Goro stopped to think for a moment. "I think... I justified it as gathering information at first." He started to laugh at himself. In hindsight, it had been glaringly obvious what he really wanted from the day, especially since the Phantom Thieves didn't even come up in their conversation. "I don't think I realized how I really felt until... until our duel." Something about it felt wrong but he couldn't place it. He could feel a headache coming on.

Akira smiled at him in a way that eased the building pressure in his skull. Under soft blue lights he looked absolutely radiant. This was the same person he had put through so much. Just thinking about it made his head spin.

* * *

_Adjusting had been difficult at first. After reality had been set right, Akechi immediately turned himself in. It was the only thing he could think of to make up for his past actions. He testified against Shido, it was with his damning evidence that the bastard was convicted. He may not have been able to change his father's heart but he did put him behind bars. It was everything he could have ever wanted. Shido even broke down and apologized for everything. For a moment, Akechi found himself reliving his imagined revenge. He didn't even care what happened to him at that point. He was too busy being caught up in the absolute euphoria of having his ambitions realized, even if it wasn't in the way he had initially imagined._

_Afterward the thrill had died down, he felt lost. He had nowhere to go. No goals to pursue. With that in mind, he made his way to LeBlanc where he knew a certain boy would be waiting. It would be nice to see him after over a week of complete silence on Akechi's end._

* * *

Goro sat on the small couch in his apartment. Akira was also sprawled out on said couch resting his head in Goro's lap. Goro absentmindedly played with his hair noting how soft it was. He couldn't help but be a little jealous, he knew Akira didn't take care of his hair yet it was so effortlessly nice.

"How do you afford this?" Akira mumbled. His eyes were closed as he leaned into Goro's touch. Goro wondered if he had been falling asleep when he asked the question.

"Being a minor celebrity and a detective was more than enough to pay the bills." Goro smiled to himself. "Working freelance isn't bad either."

Akira seemed to spring to life. He looked up at Goro with curious eyes. "Why did you quit being a detective?"

Goro met his curiosity with confusion. He stopped touching Akira's hair for a moment. "Quit? I was fired Akira." Akira gave him a look that urged him to continue. It wasn't as if it was a particularly interesting or surprising story. "When my crimes came to light I was relieved of my position as a detective."

For a moment, Akira considered his words. "I'm sorry." He eventually said.

"I brought it on myself. You don't need to feel sorry for me."

Akira just nodded. Soon, a small smile crept on his face. He sat up and stretched with a small yawn. "It's getting kinda late. I think I should probably get going."

Goro grabbed his wrist lightly as Akira moved to get up. "Or," He smirked slightly. "You could stay the night."

For a moment Akira just stared at him. Goro wasn't sure if he had ever felt more self conscious. Suddenly he was sure he misread the mood. Akira gave a dazzling smile, "I'd love to."

* * *

_Akechi had been less than enthusiastic at the prospect of making nice with Akira's friends. They were civil enough to work with him during the infiltration and final battle but that was about as far as that went. Understandably, they did not like or trust him. Especially Futaba and Haru, not after he **caused their parents to fall into a coma** during his time as the black mask. Akechi really did regret causing so many mental shutdowns over the past two years. It wasn't something that could be taken lightly, even if **destroying the metaverse managed to undo some of the damage from his crimes**._

_It felt odd being with the Phantom Thieves again. This time, there were no plots or plans to stop, they were just there for each other's company. Soon, Goro was accepted into the fold as if he had never betrayed anyone. It seemed that there were a lot of people giving him second chances that he didn't deserve. Still, he couldn't pass up the opportunity for friends. Support which he had denied himself for so many years. He couldn't push away the acceptance nor suppress the potent feeling of joy it brought._

* * *

When Goro woke up, he saw Akira sleeping next to him. He sat up carefully as not to disturb the boy lying next to him. At the new angle, Goro's eyes were drawn to Akira's sleeping form. The early morning sun bathed him in a soft light that accentuated even the smallest detail on his face. The sight was breathtaking. Goro reached out to the boy and gently placed a hand on his cheek. The younger boy stirred which made Goro retract his hand as if he'd been burned.

Akira slowly opened his eyes. He looked slightly dazed from just waking up. He looked at his surroundings before his eyes landed on Goro. He gave him a sleepy smile which made Goro's heart speed up. "I love you Goro." He mumbled before he buried himself in Goro's bed. In an instant he was asleep again.

Goro began to feel drowsy again as well. He looked at the time before he laid back down next to Akira. He didn't have to get up for anything, sleeping in for one day couldn't hurt. He turned wrapped his arms around Akira as he fell asleep once again. Everything felt just perfect. He was happier than he'd ever been, and he wouldn't trade it for the world.


End file.
